Page 59 of Dragon King’s Bullied Mate

Lyra snorted despite herself. “He was kind sometimes, at least to other people when he was alone. Even when Dag constantly targeted me, your brother never actually joined in.” Her voice softened faintly. “I think I just liked the idea of who he could be.”

The memory still embarrassed her now. She had watched him in crowded school hallways and memorized every rare moment he smiled at her directly. She had pretended not to care whenever he ignored her while standing beside Dag.

Malaya’s expression grew more thoughtful. “He remembers more now that he’s seen you again.”

Lyra glanced toward her.

“The memories from school,” Malaya clarified softly. “And he feels awful about it.”

Lyra looked away quickly before the emotions threatening to surface became too visible. “It was a long time ago.”

“That doesn’t mean it didn’t matter.”

Malaya was right about that. It had mattered, more than Mikael likely understood because cruelty from enemies hurt differently than cruelty from someone you secretly hoped might one day notice you.

Before Lyra could answer, Beckett came running back toward them clutching a small paper bag triumphantly.

“I got chocolate!”

Malaya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Who gave you sugar?”

“Meren.”

“Traitor,” Malaya muttered.

By the time they finished shopping, the sky had begun darkening again while villagers slowly packed away market stalls before evening snowfall returned. Malaya paused near the edge of the square after spotting one of the royal guards stationed discreetly near the bakery.

“I know him,” she said. “Go ahead toward the cottage. I’ll catch up.”

Lyra hesitated briefly before nodding. “Don’t be long.”

“I make no promises. You’re not the only one who can have a crush.”

Beckett chattered happily beside her while they followed the snowy road toward home carrying bags of supplies between them. His earlier fear seemingly softened for the first time in days beneath the temporary normalcy of the afternoon.

“I think Malaya likes us,” he announced importantly.

Lyra smiled faintly. “I think she does too.”

“And Mikael.”

Her pulse betrayed her instantly at his name.

“Yes,” she admitted softly.

Beckett grinned knowingly in the way children somehow always did when they sensed things adults tried hiding. The village gradually thinned around them as they approached the outskirts. That was when Lyra noticed it. Not a sound exactly, but the whisper of a movement behind them where there should have been none.

Her pulse spiked instantly. She glanced back sharply toward the road but saw only drifting snow and empty trees. Every instinct inside her tightened violently.

“Beckett,” she said carefully, “come closer to me.”

He immediately moved beside her. The bags in Lyra’s hands suddenly felt cumbersome and useless as adrenaline surged through her bloodstream hard enough to make her dizzy.

And then everything happened at once.

A figure burst from the trees. One second the road was empty, the next a man lunged directly toward Beckett.

“NO!”